Method and apparatus for providing estimated power consumption information of content

ABSTRACT

A method of providing estimated power consumption information when content is used, the method including receiving a command to select one of a plurality of content; receiving first device information indicating information about a first portable device of a first user who is to use the selected content; and providing power consumption information estimated when the first portable device uses the selected content, based on the first device information and a power consumption database generated by pre-measuring power consumption of the plurality of content in a predetermined reference device.

PRIORITY

This application is a Continuation application of U.S. application Ser.No. 12/959,998, which was filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Officeon Dec. 3, 2010 and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to KoreanPatent Application No. 10-2009-0119914, filed on Dec. 4, 2009, in theKorean Intellectual Property Office, the contents of each of which areincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus forproviding estimated power consumption information when content is used.

2. Description of the Related Art

As a convergence service between devices is considered to be important,the same content may be used in various devices. While, it is notimportant to determine the amount of power consumed by a device that hasa continuous power supply, such as a Television (TV), it is important todetermine the amount of power consumed by a portable device, such as amobile phone, since the portable device is battery powered. Accordingly,a method of displaying consumed power while each device operates hasbeen suggested.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for providingestimated power consumption information when content is used.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided amethod of providing power consumption information about an amount ofpower estimated to be consumed while using content, the method includingreceiving a command to select one of a plurality of content; receivingfirst device information indicating information about a first portabledevice of a first user who is to use the selected content; and providingestimated power consumption information when the first portable deviceuses the selected content, based on the first device information and apower consumption database generated by pre-measuring power consumptionof the plurality of content in a predetermined reference device.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is providedan apparatus for providing estimated power consumption information whencontent is used, the apparatus including a receiver for receiving acommand for selecting one of a plurality of content, and receiving firstdevice information indicating information about a first portable deviceof a first user who is to use the selected content; and an informationprovider for providing estimated power consumption information when thefirst portable device uses the content, based on the first deviceinformation and a power consumption database generated by pre-measuringpower consumption of the plurality of content in a predeterminedreference device.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a programfor executing a method of providing power consumption information aboutan amount of power estimated to be consumed while using content, themethod including receiving a command to select one of a plurality ofcontent; receiving first device information indicating information abouta first portable device of a first user who is to use the selectedcontent; and providing estimated power consumption information when thefirst portable device uses the selected content, based on the firstdevice information and a power consumption database generated bypre-measuring power consumption of the plurality of content in apredetermined reference device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of certainembodiments of the present invention will become more apparent from thefollowing detailed description when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing estimated powerconsumption information of content, according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for describing an application example using themethod of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram for describing a method of outputting informationincluded in metadata of content, according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing a method of displaying estimatedpower consumption information of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an apparatus for providing estimated powerconsumption information of content, according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the followingdescription, the same elements will be designated by the same referencenumerals when the same elements are shown in different drawings.Further, in the following description of the present invention, adetailed description of known functions and configurations incorporatedherein will be omit when it may make the subject matter of the presentinvention rather unclear.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing estimated powerconsumption information of content, according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a command for selecting one of a plurality ofcontent is received in step 110. Here, a subject that receives thecommand may be a server storing the plurality of content, and it isassumed that the server includes an apparatus (not shown) for providingestimated power consumption information, according to an embodiment ofthe present invention. However, the subject that receives the command isnot limited to the server, and may be any type of device including theapparatus.

The plurality of content may be different types of content, such asmoving image content, image content, game content, etc.

In step 120, first device information indicating information about afirst portable device of a first user who is to use the selected contentis received.

Here, the first device information may be transmitted from the firstportable device to the server, or if the first device information isstored in a computer, from the computer to the server.

Here, a portable device may be a portable phone, a Personal DigitalAssistant (PDA), or a laptop. Also, the first device information mayinclude manufacturer information of the first portable device, amanufacturer model of the first portable device, and information aboutparts installed in the first portable device. Here, the informationabout the parts installed in the first portable device is informationabout types, sizes, etc. of the parts, such as a Central Processing Unit(CPU), a memory, a communication module, etc., which are installed inthe first portable device.

Alternatively, the server may receive actual power consumptioninformation generated by measuring actual power consumption while asecond portable device of a second user uses the selected content, andsecond device information indicating information about the secondportable device.

An order in which steps 110 and 120 are performed may be switched.

In step 130, estimated power consumption information indicating powerconsumption information estimated when the first portable device usesthe selected content is provided based on the first device informationand a power consumption database generated by pre-measuring powerconsumption of the plurality of content in a predetermined referencedevice.

Here, the predetermined reference device may be a device speciallymanufactured to measure power consumption, or a device selected fromamong commercialized devices according to a predetermined standard.

For example, when a content provider provides content X, content Y, andcontent Z, the content provider may determine a portable phone that ismost widely sold in a current market as a reference device, measurepower consumption of the portable phone when the portable phone useseach of the content X, the content Y, and the content Z, and thengenerate a power consumption database by using the measured powerconsumption. Here, the power consumption database may not only begenerated by the content provider, but also by an organization fortesting devices, an organization for authorizing devices, or the like.

When the content provider or the like generates the power consumptiondatabase as such, the server receives the power consumption databasefrom the content provider or the like, reads information about powerconsumption of the selected content from the power consumption database,and amends the read information about power consumption based on thefirst device information, thereby providing the estimated powerconsumption information of the first portable device in regard to theselected content.

For example, when a power consumption database stores power consumptioninformation when a reference device having a 3 inch liquid crystalscreen uses content X, and the estimated power consumption informationof the first portable device having the same specification as thereference device except that the first portable device has a 1.5 inchliquid crystal screen is to be provided, the server may provide theestimated power consumption information of the first portable device onthe content X by amending the power consumption information of thecontent X stored in the power consumption database by using a differencebetween power generally consumed by the 1.5 inch liquid crystal screenand power generally consumed by the 3 inch liquid crystal screen. Inthis example, since the liquid crystal screen of the first portabledevice is smaller than the liquid crystal screen of the referencedevice, the power consumption information of the content X stored in thepower consumption database may have a smaller value than the estimatedpower consumption information of the first portable device. Here, adifference between powers due to different liquid crystal screens may becalculated directly by the server or received from outside the server.

If the server received the actual power consumption information of thesecond portable device and the second device information in step 120 andthe second device information and the first device information areidentical, the actual power consumption information of the secondportable device may be provided together while providing the estimatedpower consumption information of the first portable device in regard tothe selected content in step 130.

Here, the second device information may include manufacturer informationof the second portable device, a manufacturer model of the secondportable device, information about parts installed in the secondportable device, and information about parts that power supply isblocked while measuring power consumption so as to generate the actualpower consumption information, from among the parts installed in thesecond portable device.

The actual power consumption information is provided together as abovebecause if it is determined that the second portable is the samemanufacturer model as the first portable device after comparing thefirst and second device information, the actual power consumptioninformation of the second portable device may be useful to the firstportable device.

For example, when the first user received the estimated powerconsumption information of the first portable device on the selectedcontent together with the actual power consumption information of thesecond portable device corresponding to the same manufacturer model asthe first portable device, the actual power consumption informationindicating an actual result of the manufacturer model that is the sameas the first portable device may provide more accurate information tothe first user than the estimated power consumption information, sincethe estimated power consumption information is estimated by amending thepower consumption information of the content X read from the powerconsumption database according to the first device information. However,since an error may be generated while the second user generates theactual power consumption information, the first user may not trust theactual power consumption information if an error between the estimatedpower consumption information and the actual power consumptioninformation is large.

Actual power consumption information may provide information that is notprovided by the estimated power consumption information. For example, ifthe estimated power consumption information of the content X isestimated information when power is applied to all parts of the firstportable device, and the actual power consumption information isinformation when power supplied to a Bluetooth module that is notrequired is blocked while using the content X, the user may determineinformation about power that may be saved when the Bluetooth module isturned off upon receiving both the estimated power consumptioninformation and the actual power consumption information.

An application example using the method of FIG. 1 will now be describedwith reference to FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for describing an application example using themethod of FIG. 1.

In step 210, the first portable device connects to the server andselects one of the plurality of content stored in the server.

Here, the first portable device may connect to the server by using theInternet or a wireless mobile communication network.

In step 220, the first portable device transmits the first deviceinformation to the server.

In step 230, the first portable device receives metadata about theselected content from the server. Here, the metadata includes theestimated power consumption information of the first portable device onthe selected content.

If content is digital broadcast content, the server may provide theestimated power consumption information or the metadata to the firstportable device through a data carousel for providing information aboutthe digital broadcast content. Here, the data carousel denotes dataperiodically and repeatedly transmitted so as to provide the informationabout the digital broadcast content, and detailed descriptions thereofwill be omitted since the data carousel is well known to those ofordinary skill in the art.

In step 240, the first portable device outputs information included inthe received metadata.

Step 240 will be described later in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and4.

When the first user wishes to check metadata of another content insteadof the selected content, steps 210 through 240 may be performed again inregard to the other content.

In step 250, the first portable device selectively receives the contentfrom the server based on the output information.

For example, when the first user determines that the selected contentwould consume too much power by checking the estimated power consumptioninformation through the first portable device, the first portable devicemay not receive the content, and when the first user determines that theselected content would consume a suitable amount of power, the firstportable device may receive the content.

Conventionally, the first user only received information about powerconsumed by each device regardless of types of content, but according tothe current embodiment of the present invention, the first user receivesthe estimated power consumption information of the first portable devicein regard to the selected content, and thus the first user is able toselectively receive the content based on the estimated power consumptioninformation of the selected content as in step 250.

Steps 210 through 250 are performed between the first portable deviceand the server. However, steps 210 through 250 may also be performedbetween a computer storing the first device information about the firstportable device, and the server.

For example, the first user may select one of the plurality of contentstored in the server, transmit the first device information to theserver, and receive and output the metadata of the selected content byusing the computer. Also, the selected content may be received throughthe content. However in this case, the received content may further betransmitted to the first portable device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for describing a method of outputting informationincluded in metadata of content, according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the information included in the metadata of thecontent is output to a liquid crystal screen 300 of a first portabledevice.

A content list 310 includes a list of content stored in a server.

An image 320 about selected content is an image showing content selectedfrom the content list 310.

Additional information 330 of content includes additional information,such as a genre, a server registration date, a version, a size, a usableage, an executable Operating System (OS), a price, etc., of the selectedcontent.

Estimated power consumption information 340 includes information aboutpower consumption estimated when the selected content is used by thefirst portable device. Here, the estimated power consumption information340 may display the power consumption, which is estimated to occur whenthe selected content is used by the first portable device, in grades.For example, a plurality of power grades may be set based on amounts ofpower consumption, and one of the power grades may be displayed as thepower consumption.

For example, a power grade may be a first grade when power consumptionwhile using certain content is equal to or below 100 W, a power grademay be a second grade when power consumption while using certain contentexceeds 100 W and equal to or below 200 W, a power grade may be a thirdgrade when power consumption while using certain content exceeds 200 Wand equal to or below 300 W, and a power grade may be a fourth gradewhen power consumption while using certain content exceeds 300 W.However, a range of power consumption corresponding to each power gradeis not limited to the above example. Like an energy consumptionefficiency grade in electrical devices, a grade is assigned to powerconsumption when content is used.

A method of displaying the estimated power consumption information 340will now be described with reference to FIG. 4.

Alternatively, actual power consumption information of a second portabledevice may be further output to the liquid crystal screen of the firstportable device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing a method of displaying the estimatedpower consumption information of FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 4, the estimated power consumption information may bedisplayed as three types, i.e., (a), (b), and (c). Hereinafter, it isassumed that a estimated power consumption grade of the first portabledevice in regard to predetermined content is a first grade.

First, the estimated power consumption grade is indicated to be thefirst grade by only using characters and numbers as in (a).

Second, the estimated power consumption grade is indicated to be thefirst grade by using characters and a “star” image as in (b). Here, thenumber of stars increases in proportion to the grades.

Third, it is indicated in detail that estimated power consumption of thefirst portable device is 100 W per hour by using characters and numbersas in (c).

Here, (a) through (c) may be used together or modified. Also, the methodis not limited to (a) through (c) of FIG. 4, but any method ofdisplaying the estimated power consumption information of the firstportable device may be used.

The first portable device according to an embodiment of the presentinvention may check and output a size of a memory, CPU usage, types ofparts used by content, etc. when the first portable device uses thecontent stored in the first portable device.

Also, the first portable device according to an embodiment of thepresent invention may output a estimated amount of battery consumedwhile the first portable device uses the selected content, and powerconsumption information estimated when power supplied to parts that arenot required to operate while using the selected content is blocked,from among parts installed in the first portable device.

For example, the first portable device may output a message “If thiscontent is executed, an hour of battery use will be consumed. Do youwant to proceed?” or a message “If a Wi-Fi function is turned off, 75 Wof power will be consumed (100 W when Wi-Fi function is turned on).”

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an apparatus 500 for providing estimatedpower consumption information of content, according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, the apparatus 500 includes a receiver 510 and aninformation provider 520.

The receiver 510 receives a command for selecting one of a plurality ofcontent, and receives first device information indicating informationabout a first portable device of a first user who is to use the selectedcontent.

The information provider 520 provides power consumption informationabout the amount of power estimated to be consumed when the firstportable device uses the selected content, based on the first deviceinformation received through the receiver 510, and a power consumptiondatabase.

For example, the information provider 520 may transmit estimated powerconsumption information of the first portable device to the firstportable device. If the first device information is received from acomputer, the information provider 520 may transmit the estimated powerconsumption information to the computer.

Alternatively, if the apparatus 500 is installed in a device having adisplay unit and the first user is within a distance capable of directlychecking the display unit, the information provider 520 may provide theestimated power consumption information according to content to thedisplay unit, and the first user may check the estimated powerconsumption information according to content in the first portabledevice through the display unit.

The embodiments of the present invention can be written as computerprograms and can be implemented in general-use digital computers thatexecute the programs using a computer readable recording medium.Examples of the computer readable recording mediums include magneticstorage media (e.g., ROM, floppy disks, hard disks, etc.), and opticalrecording media (e.g., CD-ROMs, or DVDs).

While this invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to the described embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form anddetails may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as defined by the appended claims. The describedembodiments should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation. Therefore, the scope of the invention is definednot by the detailed description of the invention but by the appendedclaims, and all differences within the scope are to be construed asbeing included in the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of providing power consumptioninformation about an amount of power estimated to be consumed whileusing content, the method comprising: receiving a command for selectingone of a plurality of content from a device; receiving deviceinformation indicating the device of a user who is to use the selectedcontent; and providing, when the user uses the selected content,estimated power consumption information based on the device informationand a power consumption database including pre-measured powerconsumption information of the plurality of content as used in areference device.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receivingactual power consumption information generated by measuring actual powerconsumption when a pre-determined device uses the selected content, andpre-determined device information indicating information about thepre-determined device, wherein providing the estimated power consumptioninformation is performed further based on the actual power consumptioninformation and the pre-determined device information.
 3. The method ofclaim 2, wherein the providing the estimated power consumptioninformation comprises: providing information about parts to which powersupply is blocked from among the parts installed in the device, wherein,the information about the parts generated based on the pre-measuredpower consumption and the actual power consumption information aboutparts installed in a pre-determined device and about parts to whichpower supply is blocked from among the parts installed in thepre-determined device, while measuring power consumption to generate theactual power consumption information.
 4. The method of claim 1, whereinproviding the estimated power consumption information comprisesproviding a power grade corresponding to power consumption estimatedwhen the device uses the content, from among a plurality of power gradesclassified according to amounts of power consumption.
 5. The method ofclaim 4, wherein providing the power grade comprises providing the powergrade by using at least one of an image, a number, and a character.
 6. Amethod of receiving power consumption information about an amount ofpower estimated to be consumed while using content, the methodcomprising: transmitting a command for selecting one of a plurality ofcontent to a server; transmitting device information indicating a devicewhich uses the selected content to the server; and receiving, when auser uses the selected content, estimated power consumption informationbased on the device information and a power consumption databaseincluding pre-measured power consumption information of the plurality ofthe content as used in a reference device.
 7. The method of claim 6,wherein the receiving the power consumption information comprises:receiving information about parts to which power supply is blocked fromamong the parts installed in the device, wherein, the information aboutparts generated based on the pre-measured power consumption and actualpower consumption information about parts installed in a pre-determineddevice and about parts to which power supply is blocked from among theparts installed in the pre-determined device, while measuring powerconsumption to generate the actual power consumption information.
 8. Themethod of claim 6, wherein receiving the estimated power consumptioninformation comprises receiving a power grade corresponding to powerconsumption estimated when the device uses the content, from among aplurality of power grades classified according to amounts of powerconsumption.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the power gradecomprises receiving the power grade by using at least one of an image, anumber, and a character.
 10. An apparatus of providing power consumptioninformation about an amount of power estimated to be consumed whileusing content, the apparatus comprising: a receiver for receiving acommand for selecting one of a plurality of content from a device andreceiving device information indicating the device of a user who is touse the selected content; and an information provider, for providingestimated power consumption, when the user uses the selected content,based on the device information and a power consumption databaseincluding pre-measured power consumption information of the plurality ofcontent as used in a reference device.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10,wherein the receiver for receiving actual power consumption informationgenerated by measuring actual power consumption when a pre-determineddevice uses the selected content, and pre-determined device informationindicating information about the pre-determined device, and theinformation provider provides the estimated power consumptioninformation based on the actual power consumption and the pre-determineddevice information.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein theinformation provider provides information about parts to which powersupply is blocked from among the parts installed in the device, wherein,the information about the parts generated based on the pre-measuredpower consumption and actual power consumption information about partsinstalled in a pre-determined device and about parts to which powersupply is blocked from among the parts installed in the pre-determineddevice, while measuring power consumption to generate the actual powerconsumption information.
 13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein theinformation provider provides a power grade corresponding to powerconsumption estimated when the device uses the content, from among aplurality of power grades classified according to amounts of powerconsumption.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the informationprovider provides the power grade by using at least one of an image, anumber, and a character.
 15. An apparatus of receiving power consumptioninformation about an amount of power estimated to be consumed whileusing content, the apparatus comprising: transmitter for transmitting acommand for selecting one of a plurality of content to a server andtransmitting device information indicating a device which uses theselected content to the server; and receiver for receiving estimatedpower consumption information, when a user uses the selected content,based on the device information and a power consumption databaseincluding pre-measured power consumption information of the plurality ofthe content as used in a reference device.
 16. The apparatus of claim15, wherein the receiver receives information about parts to which powersupply is blocked from among the parts installed in the device, wherein,the information about parts generated based on the pre-measured powerconsumption and actual power consumption information about partsinstalled in a pre-determined device and about parts to which powersupply is blocked from among the parts installed in the pre-determineddevice, while measuring power consumption to generate the actual powerconsumption information.
 17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein thereceiver receives a power grade corresponding to power consumptionestimated when the device uses the content, from among a plurality ofpower grades classified according to amounts of power consumption. 18.The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the receiver receives the power gradecomprises receiving the power grade by using at least one of an image, anumber, and a character.
 19. A computer readable recording medium havingrecorded thereon a program for providing power consumption informationabout an amount of power estimated to be consumed while using content,the method comprising: receiving a command for selecting one of aplurality of content from a device; receiving device informationindicating the device of a user who is to use the selected content; andproviding, when the user uses the selected content, estimated powerconsumption information based on the device information and a powerconsumption database including pre-measured power consumptioninformation of the plurality of content as used in a reference device.20. A computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon aprogram for receiving power consumption information about an amount ofpower estimated to be consumed while using content, the methodcomprising: transmitting a command for selecting one of a plurality ofcontent to a server; transmitting device information indicating a devicewhich uses the selected content to the server; and receiving, when auser uses the selected content, estimated power consumption informationbased on the device information and a power consumption databaseincluding pre-measured power consumption information of the plurality ofthe content as used in a reference device.